If you’re looking for ways to make money online, you’re in the right place. In 2019, I had only R10 in my bank account, no job, and had just completed my Grade 12. I started searching for ways to make money online in South Africa and came across a lot of misleading information. However, I didn’t give up; I kept looking
I began getting involved in ‘Amabhanoyi'(aka Ponzi Schemes). Unfortunately, due to the lack of reliable information on legit ways of making money online methods, I ended up being scammed out of nearly R1000, which regrettably was borrowed money.

In this article, I aim to share my experience and ideas for making money online, acquired over 7 years of doing online jobs. I will categorize them based on the skills or investment required, ranging from those requiring significant skills or investment to those needing none. All of these ideas are suitable even for teenagers, and students looking for ways to make money online.
Can I Make Money Online Without Paying Anything
Yes, you can easily make money online from your phone without having to invest any money. Doing survey for example is the best way to start earning money online in South Africa from your phone without investing money, the only thing you need to invest is your time. Time is money, right?
Ways To Make Money Online As A Beginner
If you have never earned money online before and you don’t have money to invest. I recommend you try these 2 ways to make money online as a beginner or as a student under 16.
Even though these 2 easiest ways to instantly earn money online will not make you rich or R10K every month but is a great start for anyone looking for an online side hustle. I even created a Facebook group to inform you if there are new paying promos to participate in. You can join it on the button below.
Top 10 Ways To Make Money Online In South Africa
The internet has transformed the way people earn money, making it easier than ever to start a side hustle or even build a full-time income from the comfort of your home. If you’re in South Africa and looking for practical, proven ways to make money online, you’re in the right place!
Here is the table of everything I will be covering in this article, Whether you’re a student, a stay-at-home parent, or just exploring new opportunities, this guide breaks down everything you need to know. From freelancing and selling products to investing and affiliate marketing, you’ll find options that suit every skill level and budget
🥇Money Ideas | 💪Hardship | 💵Earning | 🤩Results |
---|---|---|---|
#10 Online Courses | ✅High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 💀Mos – A Yr |
#9 Forex Trading | ✅High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 💀Mos – Few Yrs |
#8 Dropshipping | ☑️Very High | ⭐⭐⭐ | 💀Mos – Few Yrs |
#7 Freelancing | ☑️Moderate | ⭐⭐⭐ | 📆Wks – Mos |
#6 Virtual Assistance | ☑️Moderate | ⭐⭐⭐ | 📆Wks – Mos |
#5 Sell Digital Products | ✅Moderate | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🗓️Mos – A Yr |
#4 Content Creation | ✅Moderate | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🗓️Mos – A Yr |
#3 Affiliate Marketing | ✅High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 📆Wks – Mos |
#2 Promoter | ✅Low | ⭐⭐ | 💵Days – Wks |
#1 Online Surveys | ☑️Very Low | ⭐ | 💵Days – Wks |
10. Start An Online Course

Online courses have become a powerful way to share knowledge, gain new skills, and even make money. If you’re knowledgeable about a subject or passionate about teaching, creating an online course can offer a chance to reach a wide audience and make a real impact. However, turning your idea into a successful online course requires careful planning, creativity, and understanding of your learners.
Requirements to Create An Online Course
- Platform to sell your course e.g Teachable and Udemy
- Equipment to record and edit your course
- Plan to promote it
Remember that creating a successful online course involves careful planning, dedication, and ongoing improvement based on learner feedback and market trends. Here is a crash guide to creating a successful online course
But this is the hardest way to start earning money online and also it requires time to see the results.
9. Learn Forex Trading
Learning forex trading has become the most popular way to go from broke to rich amongst South African Youth. Since trading has a low entrance barrier most people misunderstand it and think it must be also easy to start making money with. I blame the forex gurus that promote that idea, PYI trading is the hardest online business to start.

Steps To Learn Forex Trading
- Learn trading either from a Mento or YouTube
- Practice his/her teachings
- Then start small with areal account
- Then you can move to prop form funding
why trading is the best form of business forex trading, It teaches you how to control your finances better. By learning to trade you also acquire a career because if you build a solid portfolio you could be hired to trade a private equity but it takes time and effort to get to that point.
While there are risks, if you’re patient and keep learning, you could start from R0 to To R100K by trading private equity and Prop Firms.
8. Start A Dropshipping A Business
Dropshipping is an online store business where you don’t need to keep products in stock. Instead, when you receive an order from a customer, you purchase the item from a third party (like a wholesaler or manufacturer) and have them ship it directly to the customer. It’s usually automated not done manually.

For example, on your store, you can list the sale of an R1.5K smartwatch then when someone purchases the watch you take the R1K and buy a watch from a retailer (aka Supplier) then R500 is your profit. This means you don’t have to worry about storing inventory or handling the shipping process yourself.
Requirements For Dropshipping in South Africa
- An E-commerce Platform or Website like Shopify
- Supplier Relationships or Directory
- Payment Gateway
- Marketing and Promotion Strategy
- Legal Understanding (Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, etc.)
- Shipping and Delivery Strategy
- Financial Management (Tracking Income and Expenses)
It can be a way to start an online store with lower upfront costs and less logistical hassle, but it also comes with its own challenges, like finding reliable suppliers and managing customer expectations. Hers is a beginner guide to Dropshipping
Although there is an alternative way of Dropshipping called Dropselling, I believe Dropselling is easier compared to Dropshipping. With Dropselling you don’t need a website. you just need to get people who want to buy secondhand and then from your phone to go to the Facebook market to get products cheap and sell it to the person wanting the products.
7. Freelancing Jobs
Freelancing has been around for decades people quit their 9 to 5 jobs to become full-time freelancers because it allows them to be their boss. But it’s not easy to get started if you join the highly competitive freelancing platform. Also having a high demanded skill will help you a lot.

Website For Freelancing
To become a freelancer you only need a skill that can be done online, No certificate or degree is required but having one can improve your credibility to get more gigs. “Gigs are freelancing jobs offer”.
If you believe you don’t have a skill that you can provide as a freelancer, don’t worry there are so many skills that you can learn in 1 to 3 Months and use them as a freelancer to earn yourself money. Here is a Freelancing beginner guide to help you get started.
6. Work As Virtual Assistance
COVID-19 had a significant push on the idea of working at home, which gives rise to virtual assistance jobs. There are fewer people doing Virtual Assistant jobs maybe it’s because you need to be multi-language speaking.

The traditional 9-to-5 office job is not the only route to professional success. Instead, consider the world of virtual assistance where you can be hired to help customers on a particular business in any part of the world, that the beauty of working as a Virtual Assistant
Getting Started as a Virtual Assistant
- Figure out what services you’re skilled at providing
- Showcase your abilities with an online portfolio that displays your work samples, client feedback, and a professional bio.
- Set up a comfortable home office with the essential tools, such as a computer, reliable internet, and necessary software.
- Establish a strong online presence through social media, a personal website, and platforms like LinkedIn.
- Advertise yourself on Websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and specialized VA job boards that can help connect you with clients looking for your services.
5. Sell Digital Products
If you were not living under a rock, you remember the trend of NFTs back in 2021 with the most expensive NFTs of $91.8M sold. This was a stepping stone for the digital products market to grow. By having a hobby in art, music, or writing you are on the right track to make your first sale of a digital product.

Platforms To Sell Digital Products
It’s equally important to select a product that aligns with your expertise and passion. This combination will not only make the creation process enjoyable but also help you stand out in a competitive market. Here is a beginner guide to selling digital items on Etsy
4. Become A Content Creator
Content creation has taken me out of poverty, I was struggling financially and I personally know more than 11 people who are each making a living off as a content creator in South Africa. I started creating content in 2019 with the skills gained over the years I can confidently say it’s not too late for anyone to start creating content as a side hustle or full-time.

Get Started as a Content Creator
- Choose Your Niche or Focus
- Set Up Necessary Equipment
- Create and Edit Content
- Choose Your Platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Blog, etc.)
- Establish a Posting Schedule
- Use Relevant Hashtags and Keywords (SEO)
- Engage with Your Audience
- Monitor Analytics and Adjust Strategies
- Stay Consistent and Persistent
Ways to monetize your content
- YouTubers: from ads, sponsorships, and merchandise.
- Instagram Influencers: sponsored posts, merchandise
- Podcasters: ads, sponsorships, and merchandise
- Bloggers: Pads, sponsorships, and merchandise, guest posting
Here is a full guide on how to become a content creator, on any platform any niche.
3. Start Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has been around for many years, some people even say Affiliate marketing is over-crowded but I agree not. Affiliate marketing is still a good way to start making money online. Personally, I hate affiliating physical products, I believe starting affiliate marketing through digital products is the easiest route to take.
Also, there are other forms of marketing like CPA marketing which it is a type of Affiliate Marketing where you can earn money even if people don’t buy anything through your link.

Start Affilaite Marketing
- Choose Niche
- Join an Affiliate Network e.i CJ Affiliate
- Select the Offers you want to promote
- Get traffic
I have been doing Affiliate Marketing myself for a while now. But as a beginner, I would recommend you to start with CPA Marketing since it does not require you to have a website to get started or be accepted by Affiliate networks
2. Become A Promoter
When I talk about becoming a promoter am not talking about being an influencer but it’s something similar. The difference is that as a promoter you only need to find a company that is running a s promotion it can be a sign-up and earn, share and earn, or post and earn.

Sign up with the company and follow their set rules on how to earn on the particular promo currently available with them. Learn more about earning money through promos.
1. Earn Money Doing Online Surveys
Aside from all these methods of earning money online ranging from Affiliate Marketing, Dropshipping, and Investing/Trading, doing surveys is the easiest of them all since no skill or investment is required to start earning.
With Online Surveys, you simply create an account and start generating money but you need to know which survey app or website is worth it.

5 Best Survey Websites to Earn Money
Online Surveys offer you a chance to share your opinions on different topics while earning money for your time spent. So technically the only thing you invest is your time
Here are the high-paying survey websites in South Africa you to try if you are really serious about earning money online.
Conclusion
Getting the best way to side hustle to invest your time and money in is really hard, that is why I have created this Informatica article for you so that you can easily decide if you want to be creating online courses, getting into forex trading or dropshipping, freelancing, and content creation.
The options seem endless but just to summarise if you are new to making money online start with The easy methods is doing surveys or becoming a content creator
Remember, achieving success online requires time and hard work. So, whether you’re a student aiming for extra cash or someone pursuing a full-time online career, the potential is out there ready for you to seize it.